Replaceable cartridge type of inking apparatus

ABSTRACT

An ink marking system for moving surfaces having an ink component from which a continuous flow of fast drying ink is obtained for prolonged periods of time without recharging. Recharging is accomplished by replacement of an ink storage container having a foam-like filler in wiping contact with an ink transfer roller. The transfer roller is mounted within a housing from which the ink storage container projects releasably clamped in an operative position.

United States Patent Marozzi 1 May 16, 1972 [54] REPLACEABLE CARTRIDGE TYPE OF INKING APPARATUS [72] Inventor: Alfred A. Marozzi, 37 West St. Bloomfield, Upper Montclair, NJ. 07003 [22] Filed: June 12, 1970 [21] App1.No.: 45,785

US. Cl ..101/2l9,101/350 Field ofSearch ..101/328, 329, 330, 331, 349, 101/350, 363, 206, 207, 208, 148, 132.5, 35, 216, 219; 118/260; 401/208, 218,198

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,457,854 7/1969 Marozzi 101/330 X 938,098 10/1909 Wi1koshesky.. ..10l/330 2,034,840 3/1936 Smith 101/212 3,227,080 1/1966 Hill 101/350 X 950,277 2/1910 Current et a1.. ..101/329 1,722,867 7/1929 Testa 101/330 Hilderbrandt 101/350 1,231,759 7/1917 Lindemann ..101/330 859,606 7/1907 Klove ..401/l98 856,799 6/1907 O'Conner et a1. 101/3 30 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 962,771 6/1950 France ..40l/208 84,498 7/1963 France 101/198 674,101 4/1939 Germany ..101/33O Primary Eltaminer-J. Reed Fisher At!orney-C1arence A. OBrien and Harvey B. Jacobson 57 ABSTRACT An ink marking system for moving surfaces having an ink component from which a continuous flow of fast drying ink is obtained for prolonged periods of time without recharging. Recharging is accomplished by replacement of an ink storage container having a foam-like filler in wiping contact with an ink transfer roller. The transfer roller is mounted within a housing from which the ink storage container projects releasably clamped in an operative position.

13 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures SHEET 1 BF 3 Alfred A. Marozz/ PATENTEIJMAY 16 um SHEET 2 BF 3 Alfred A. Marozz/ P'ATENTEDMHBM 3.662.662

SHEET 3 0F 3 Alfred A Marozzi l N VENTOR.

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REPLACEABLE CARTRIDGE TYPE OF INKING APPARATUS This invention relates to inking systems for marking moving surfaces on packaging material or the like such as paper or plastic film.

Automatic marking systems for imprinting moving surfaces are disclosed for example in my prior U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,457,854 and 3,487,776. This type of system requires frequent recharging by a new supply of ink particularly where a fast drying ink is utilized. Thus, there is a need for a system which may be easily recharged in a rapid fashion and without overflow and leakage of ink. Also, in order to prevent drying of the ink, it is essential that the ink be effectively sealed in an airtight space but without adversely affecting the continuous and free flow of ink to the marking roller.

The foregoing objectives are achieved in accordance with the present invention by use of an elongated ink storing container that is releasably clamped to a cylindrical housing into which it projects in radial relation to a transfer roller through which the ink is transferred from the storage container to the marking wheel of the inking system. The ink storing container is made of a material that is air impermeable and houses an absorbent filler made of a foam-like material through which ink is transmitted by capillary action to the transfer roller with which the adsorbent filler is in wiping contact at the open end of the container. Thus, a controlled quantity of ink is transferred by rotation of the transfer roller to the marking roller while at the same time, the ink stored within the container is substantially sealed against drying by the air. The ink storing container may be easily removed for replacement purposes by loosening of a clamp element holding the container within a positioning slot formed in the cylindrical housing. The ink storing container when depleted of its ink supply, may be recharged and capped for use whenever desired.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a typical installation for an inking system in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side sectional view taken substantially through a plane indicated by section line 22 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged partial sectional view taken substantially through a plane indicated by section line 3-3 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing certain disassembled parts of the apparatus constructed in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a side sectional view of the ink storing cartridges associated with the present invention, being recharged with ink.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view through the recharged ink storing cartridge prior to being installed.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, an automatic inking system is shown mounted between the side walls 12 of an automatic packaging machine, for example, and is arranged to imprint markings on a continuously moving packaging film or web 14 as shown in FIG. 2.

In the illustrated embodiment, the inking system is supported by a pair of side frame members 16 which are interconnected by a support frame member 18 at the rear ends of the side frame members. The side frame members are also interconnected by a tie-rod 20 forwardly spaced from the support frame member 18. Also, a mounting shaft 22 is interconnected between the side frame members between the support frame member 18 and the tie-rod 20 while roller shafts 24 and 26 are secured by setscrews 28 to the forward portions of the side frame members in order to rotatably mount a backup roll 30 and a paper diverting roller 32. Thus, a rigid frame assembly is formed by the frame members, the tie-rod, the mounting shaft and the roller shafts. This frame assembly is supported in a proper position between the side walls 12 by four mounting assemblies 34, each of which includes a contact pad 36, a pad support 38 and an externally threaded rod 40 secured to the pad support 38 by an adjusting nut 42 and a locknut 44 spacing the pad 36 from the side frame member.

As described in greater detail in my prior U.S. Pat. No. 3,487,776, aforementioned, a marking wheel assembly 46 is pivotally mounted by an arm 48 on the mounting shaft 22 and is rotatable about its own rotational axis for imprinting the surface of the moving web 14. A pressure adjustment mechanism 50 maintains the peripheral surface of the marking wheel assembly 46 in engagement with the backup roll 32 and in proper contact with the surface of the web 14 being imprinted. Rotation of the marking wheel assembly 46 is controlled through a solenoid operated clutch assembly 50. Thus, when the peripheral surface of the marking or printing wheel assembly 46 is coated with ink and rotated in proper relation to the linear speed of the web 14, the web will be printed by transfer of a fast drying ink thereto from the type on the periphery of the printing wheel assembly. It will therefore be apparent that the type on the printing wheel assembly must be continuously supplied with a thin coating of ink while it is being rotated for marking purposes. Toward this end, an ink supply device generally referred to by reference numeral 52 is mounted on the arm 48 in an adjusted angular position by means of the support arm 54 in order to obtain proper contact with the printing wheel assembly 46.

Referring now to FIG. 3 as well as FIGS. 1 and 2, the ink supply device 52 includes a housing generally referred to by reference numeral 56 which is formed by a cylindrical wall 58 and closed on opposite axial sides by the end walls 60 and 62. An opening 64 is formed in the cylindrical wall 58 through which a small chordal portion of an externally engraved transfer roller 66 projects in contact with the outer periphery of the printing wheel assembly 46. The transfer roller 66 is rotatably mounted on a roller shaft 68 supported by the end walls of the housing in a proper position so that the major portion of the roller 66 will be enclosed within the housing. Thus, when the printing wheel assembly 46 is being rotated for marking purposes, rotation will be imparted to the transfer roller 66 so that ink supplied to the transfer roller 66 may be transferred to the printing wheel assembly. The ink transferred by the roller 66 is obtained from an ink storing cartridge generally referred to by reference numeral 70 which is releasably held in a proper position foi this purpose in the housing 56 by means of a releasable clamp assembly generally referred to by reference numeral 72.

As more clearly seen in FIGS. 3 and 4, the ink storing cartridge 70 includes an elongated, cylindrical container 74 having one end closed by an end wall 76. The container 74 is made of a thin, air impermeable plastic material and encloses an absorbent filler 78 made of a foam-like material. In the illustrated embodiment, the absorbent filler 78 is spaced from the closed end 76 of the container by a spacing element 80 folded from a thin plastic sheet. Thus, a storing chamber 82 is formed within the container 74 adjacent the closed end 76 within which liquid ink may be stored.

The ink storing cartridge 70 when charged with a supply of ink, is operatively positioned in radial relation to the transfer roller 66 as shown in FIG. 3 so that the roller projects into the open end of the container 74 compressing the absorbent filler 78 thereabout. Thus, the roller 66 will be effective to seal the ink stored within the container 74 while at the same time a thin coating of ink may be transferred to the roller in response to rotation thereof by capillary flow through the filler material. Ink will of course be stored both within the reservoir chamber 82 and within the filler material. Alternatively, an absorbent filler may be used dimensioned to occupy the entire volume of the container 74 in which case no spacing element 80 will be utilized.

The cartridge 70 is positioned in radial relation to the roller 66 by projecting from the housing through a circumferentially elongated positioning slot 84 within the cylindrical wall 58 of the housing. The width of the slot 84 is slightly less than the diameter of the casing 74 so as to form a snug or tight fit. Further, the cartridge is firmly held in its operative position so as to effectively seal the ink therewithin by means of the releasable clamp assembly 72 which includes an arcuate clamp element 86. A semi-cylindrical recess 88 is formed in the clamp element 86 for engaging the container 74 while the clamp element overlaps the slot 84 in the cylindrical wall 58 of the housing on which the clamp element is slidably mounted. An adjustment slot 90 is therefore formed in a circumferential extension 92 of the clamp element through which the threaded shank 94 of a thumbscrew 96 projects in threaded engagement with the cylindrical wall 58 of the housing through threaded aperture 98. The clamp element 86 may be slidably adjusted by means of the tab 100 so as to either release the cartridge 70 or bringing the clamp element into engagement therewith after which the thumbscrew 96 is tightened to lock the clamp element in place.

In order to regulate the quantity of ink applied to the transfer roller 66, a wiper blade 102 is positioned in engagement therewith between the container 74 and the opening 64 in the housing wall 58, as shown in FIG. 3. The transfer roller 66 is designed to be rotated in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 3 so that any excess ink deposited thereon from the absorbent filler 78 will be wiped off by the wiper blade 102 and drop under the action of gravity back into the filler. The wiper blade is mounted on the end of a spring mounting element 104 held assembled within the housing at an opposite anchor end on the threaded shank 94 of the thumbscrew 96 by means of the anchor element 106 which is threadedly secured to the housing wall. The spring mounting element 104 urges the wiper blade 102 away from the transfer roller 66 but is held in proper relation thereto by a wiper adjusting device 108 similar to that disclosed in my prior US. Pat. No. 3,457,854, aforementioned.

When the cartridge 70 is depleted of its supply of ink, it may be readily removed by releasing the clamp assembly 72 and withdrawing the cartridge from the positioning slot 84. The cartridge may then be recharged with ink. As shown in FIG. 5, ink may be poured into the container 74 through the open end by inserting the shank of a tool 110 so as to deform the filler 78 and form a passageway for ink into the bottom reservoir chamber 82. Once the reservoir chamber 82 is substantially filled, the ink will be sealed therein by the filler 78 upon removal of the tool 1 10. A sealing cap 112 as shown in FIG. 6 may then be applied to the open end of the container thereby maintaining the supply of ink within the cartridge for an indefinite period of time. A charged cartridge may then be loaded into the ink supply device 52 upon removal of the cap 112, the ink supply then being maintained sealed within the container by engagement of the filler 78 with the transfer roller 66.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. In combination with a marking device imprinting a moving surface in contact therewith, apparatus for applying ink to the marking device comprising a housing having an opening therein, a transfer roller rotatably mounted within the housing and projecting through said opening into contact with the marking device, ink storage means projecting from said housing in an operative position contacting said transfer roller,

means mounted by the housing for holding said ink storage means in said operative position substantially sealing ink therein, said holding means including a clamp element, means slidably mounting the clamp element on the housing for engagement with the ink storage means, said housing having a positioning slot through which the ink storage means projects in radial relation to the transfer roller, and means for releasably locking the clamp element to the housing overand an open end, and an absorbent material in said container projecting from said open end in contact with said transfer roller.

3. The combination of claim 2 including wiper means in engagement with the transfer roller between the opening in the housing and the open end of the elongated container.

4. The combination of claim 2 wherein said ink storage means further includes means spacing the absorbent material from the closed end to form a reservoir chamber for ink.

5. The combination of claim 4 including wiper means in engagement with the transfer roller between the opening in the housing and the open end of the elongated container.

6. An ink supply device for printing devices comprising a housing having an opening therein, a transfer roller rotatably mounted within the housing and projecting through said opening, ink storage means projecting from said housing in radial relation to the transfer roller, means mounted by the housing for holding the ink storage means in engagement with the transfer roller substantially sealing ink therein, said holding means including a clamp element, means slidably mounting the clamp element on the housing for engagement with the ink storage means, said housing having a positioning slot through which the ink storage means projects in radial relation to the transfer roller, and means for releasably locking the clamp element to the housing overlapping said slot while in engagement with the ink storage means.

7. The combination of claim 6 wherein said ink storage means includes an elongated container having a closed end and an open end, and an absorbent material in said container projecting from said open end in contact with said transfer roller.

8. The combination of claim 7 including wiper means in engagement with the transfer roller between the opening in the housing and the open end of the elongated container.

9. The combination of claim 7 wherein said ink storage means further includes means spacing the absorbent material from the closed end to form a reservoir chamber for ink.

10. The combination of claim 9 including wiper means in engagement with the transfer roller between the opening in the housing and the open end of the elongated container.

1 1. An ink supply for marking devices comprising a housing having an opening therein, ink transfer means mounted within the housing and projecting through said opening, an elongated container having an open end enclosed within the housing and a closed end projecting from the housing, an absorbent filler disposed within the container, and clamp means holding the container in a position with the ink transfer means projecting into the open end of the container for engagement with the filler to maintain the same under compression thereby sub stantially sealing ink stored within the container.

12. The combination of claim 11 including means spacing the filler from the closed end of the container to form an ink storing chamber.

13. The combination of claim 11 wherein said clamp means includes a clamp element, means slidably mounting the clamp element on the housing for engagement with the container, said housing having a positioning slot through which the container projects and means for releasably locking the clamp element to the housing overlapping said slot while in engagement with the container. 

1. In combination with a marking device imprinting a moving surface in contact therewith, apparatus for applying ink to the marking device comprising a housing having an opening therein, a transfer roller rotatably mounted within the housing and projecting through said opening into contact with the marking device, ink storage means projecting from said housing in an operative position contacting said transfer roller, means mounted by the housing for holding said ink storage means in said operative position substantially sealing ink therein, said holding means including a clamp element, means slidably mounting the clamp element on the housing for engagement with the ink storage means, said housing having a positioning slot through which the ink storage means projects in radial relation to the transfer roller, and means for releasably locking the clamp element to the housing overlapping said slot while in engagement with the ink storage means.
 2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said ink storage means includes an elongated container having a closed end and an open end, and an absorbent material in said container projecting from said open end in contact with said transfer roller.
 3. The combination of claim 2 including wiper means in engagement with the transfer roller between the opening in the housing and the open end of the elongated container.
 4. The combination of claim 2 wherein said ink storage means further includes means spacing the absorbent material from the closed end to form a reservoir chamber for ink.
 5. The combination of claim 4 including wiper means in engagement with the transfer roller between the opening in the housing and the open end of the elongated container.
 6. An ink supply device for printing devices comprising a housing having an opening therein, a transfer roller rotatably mounted within the housing and projecting through said opening, ink storage means projecting from said housing in radial relation to the transfer roller, means mounted by the housing for holding the ink storage means in engagement with the transfer roller substantially sealing ink therein, said holding means including a clamp element, means slidably mounting the clamp element on the housing for engagement with the ink storage means, said housing having a positioning slot through which the ink storage means projects in radial relation to the transfer roller, and means for releasably locking the clamp element to the housing overlapping said slot while in engagement with the ink storage means.
 7. The combination of claim 6 wherein said ink storage means includes an elongated container having a closed end and an open end, and an absorbent material in said container projecting from said open end in contact with said transfer roller.
 8. The comBination of claim 7 including wiper means in engagement with the transfer roller between the opening in the housing and the open end of the elongated container.
 9. The combination of claim 7 wherein said ink storage means further includes means spacing the absorbent material from the closed end to form a reservoir chamber for ink.
 10. The combination of claim 9 including wiper means in engagement with the transfer roller between the opening in the housing and the open end of the elongated container.
 11. An ink supply for marking devices comprising a housing having an opening therein, ink transfer means mounted within the housing and projecting through said opening, an elongated container having an open end enclosed within the housing and a closed end projecting from the housing, an absorbent filler disposed within the container, and clamp means holding the container in a position with the ink transfer means projecting into the open end of the container for engagement with the filler to maintain the same under compression thereby substantially sealing ink stored within the container.
 12. The combination of claim 11 including means spacing the filler from the closed end of the container to form an ink storing chamber.
 13. The combination of claim 11 wherein said clamp means includes a clamp element, means slidably mounting the clamp element on the housing for engagement with the container, said housing having a positioning slot through which the container projects and means for releasably locking the clamp element to the housing overlapping said slot while in engagement with the container. 